The Darkest Gift

THEPRAIRIESBOOKREVIEW SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

"Fun, moving, and action-packed…

Handeland delivers plenty of plot developments, intriguing characters, and otherworldly things in his engrossing debut. Struggling with his sexuality, Jack thinks his stroke of bad luck with men and women has come to an end after he meets the enigmatic, charming Laurent Richelieu. As Jack and Laurent begin their relationship, long-buried secrets come to surface, threatening to upend Jack’s newly acquired happiness. And Laurent has his own agenda. Set against the vibrant settings of Paris and New Orleans, the story spans centuries. Recurring romance and action sequences rev up the pace, with Handeland fittingly providing intriguing details about his supernatural and human characters. Imbued with themes of revenge and spiritual love, the novel swings between tragedy and passion and reality and unreality. Handeland skillfully explores love, lust, grief, pain, and LGBTQ issues. Plenty of twists and shocking revelations lead to the frenzied final act and the gratifying conclusion. Lovers of vampire tales will be gratified.

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"The Darkest Gift by Len Handeland is a wonderful tale that brings backstories like the Anne Rice vampire series, which I read a lot of as I grew up. It is an LGBT+ friendly novel and I loved getting to see that in a novel that features vampires.

This story is told in a more linear fashion, which I enjoyed. Instead of flashbacks and memories, we learn the story upfront and in order. The story begins when Fabien Levesque travels from his small hometown to the big city of Paris in the late 17th century. It is here he meets Stefan, the Baron of Vitre, who also happens to be a vampire. The two fall in love and quickly Stefan converts Fabien. Later on, Fabien is still in Paris and meets and falls in love with Laurent Richelieu. Stefan, in a fit of jealousy, kills Fabien. Laurent goes on to meet Jack in more modern times. The two have to work to overcome their pasts and Jack's self-loathing due to his Catholic upbringing before they can be together. And here I'll say no more to risk spoiling a most excellent story.

The author mentions in his bio that he decided to pursue writing his own stories after he read all of Anne Rice's vampire series. You can certainly see the influence of those books on his own story here. As someone who has also read Anne Rice a lot, there is a lot of overlap in their style, but Len's seems a bit more down to earth. The writing style is very well done, making the story easy to read.

This book also ticks one other positive box for me. My favorite type of vampire lore is the more traditional kind of vampire, one that brings back memories of old-school Dracula instead of the more modern Cullen family. Both have their advantages, but it comes down to personal preference. I want my vampire to smoke and burst into flames when the sun touches them, I want them to be kept at bay by garlic or crosses.  

Overall, I would give this book 5 stars. I would consider it a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good vampire novel that ranks up there with Anne Rice and Dracula himself. I greatly enjoyed the time I spent reading this book and if this author keeps writing with this level of skill, I would be so glad to read anything else he writes."

REVIEWED BY Jesse Presgraves

Amazon reviews:

Patrick, 5.0 out of 5 stars

A Must Read

Verified Purchase

"Len Handeland's vampire novel is a hit in my book. Intriguing and seductive this novel pulls you into the life of gay vampires transporting you overseas from 17th century Paris to modern day New Orleans. Every page offers a new twist and turn along with and a clear insight into the life of a gay vampire Laurent Richelieu who meets Jack Devereux a mortal who he begins to fall in love with, but the issues of love, romance and anger seem to get in the way of his happiness. I am looking forward to the next book."

Samuel Harris

5.0 out of 5 stars

"This is a beautiful dark love story filled with love, rage, jealousy, and bloodlust."

"This story is a very intense page turner written by the very talented Author Len Handeland. An incredible love story set in the most beautiful locations and times (Paris 1600-1800s and later New Orleans). This book will keep you on the edge of your seat, constantly wanting more. It’s rich with everything that comes with love, for example, jealousy, rage, intense love, and also the feeling of being rejected. The story begins with Fabian, brand new in the city of Paris, when he meets his mysterious lover Stefan. An interestingly beautiful and captivating man with piercing blue eyes and porcelain skin, who may not exactly have the best intentions for Fabian. Although Stefan does have his own unfortunate past of rejection and heartbreak that does make you feel empathetic for him, to some degree that is. Without giving any spoilers their romance goes from sexy and erotic to dark and ominous very fast. The Darkest Gift moves very quickly and was a very intense novel to read as the character development is strong, it’s hard not to fall in love with some of the main characters Which is what makes it so intense when their untimely demise approaches. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who has a love of vampire novels, has had that intense love experience, and who may have felt rejection from those who should love them unconditionally. It was a very good read and I couldn’t applaud the author enough!"

David Eugene Perry

5.0 out of 5 stars

Stand back Lestat! A book for lovers of Anne Rice!

"Len Handeland's debut novel reveals a world of love, lust, vampiric jealousy and human rage, all wrapped up in a tight gay bow. Perfect for those who loved Anne Rice. A fitting homage, as well, to New Orleans, easily the most atmospheric home for the good looking undead. Looking forward to Len's next book to take out a bite! :-)"

5.0 out of 5 stars

Captivating Vampire Love Story

Verified Purchase

"…..Creatively written book as the plot pulls you into the characters love story. It captures readers from the beginning with a story line that gets better and better as you turn each page! It was interesting and captivating from the start. This book is one that you wish you had the entire day to read. If you are a fan of vampire books, this is a must read!”

5.0 out of 5 stars

Engaging and easy to read!!!! 

“You will easily be engaged with the narrative of this novel that goes through hundreds of years and the universal themes of love, good and evil! You don't have to be a regular reader of vampire novels to enjoy this one! Very smooth and fun read!”

5.0 out of 5 stars

A must read! 

Verified Purchase

“Page turner!! It’s a hard book to put down. Exciting, keeps you on the edge of your seat. Just when you think you know where the story is headed, surprise! Definitely a must read.”

5.0 out of 5 stars

Sensual with fangs  

Verified Purchase

“Sensual and frightening all at the same time. The author’s creative mind brings a new twist to vampire novels.”

5.0 out of 5 stars

Starts out strong and keeps going...you want to read more.

"I haven’t read the entire book but it is a page turner. Great character development and detail, peppered with riveting passion. A must poolside read for 2021!"